Huntingdonshire

Huntingdonshire's population increased by about 12,600 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the key changes among the local population.

The population reached nearly 170,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Huntingdonshire increased by 8.0%, from just under 157,000 to 170,000.

The addition of almost 13,000 people means this area's population increased at a similar rate to the overall population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Huntingdonshire was home to, on average, 1.3 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was similar to the average across Eastof England

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across Eastof England, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Huntingdonshire

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Huntingdonshire increased by four years, from 37 to 41 years.

This area had a slightly higher average age than Eastof England and became slightly older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of about 6,900 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just over 4,000.

About 12.0% of people in Huntingdonshire are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and Huntingdonshire by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Huntingdonshire residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 6.3% to 3.9% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (84.5%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 73.4% in 2001. The percentage of Huntingdonshire residents that described their health as fair decreased from 20.4% to 11.6%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad increased faster here than in any other local authority district across Eastof England. The improvement brought health in Huntingdonshire close to the national average 5.5% in England described their health as good in 2011).

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Huntingdonshire decreased by 2.3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Huntingdonshire, Eastof England and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

Huntingdonshire saw Eastof England's second-largest fall in the proportion of households with children.

In 2011, just over 3 in 10 (30.2%) households in Huntingdonshire had at least one dependent child, compared with 32.4% in 2001. The percentage with no children increased from 59.1% to 60.6%.

Across the region, only Maldon saw a greater fall in the proportion of households with children (from 30.4% to 27.5%).

The proportion of households with children was higher than across Eastof England

Percentage of households with at least one dependent child across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Religion in Huntingdonshire

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Huntingdonshire was among those who said they had no religion, rising 14.0 points.

In 2011, 31.8% of respondents in Huntingdonshire gave this answer to the question on religion, compared with 17.9% of those who answered in 2001.

Across Eastof England, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion that described themselves as having no religion increased from 18.2% to 30.0%, while across England the percentage went from 15.7% to 26.5%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Huntingdonshire, 65.6% said they were Christian, compared with 80.5% in 2001. About 0.2% said they were Sikh, compared with 0.1% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who disclosed a religious affiliation and did not state their religion decreased from 8.1% to 7.8%.

In Huntingdonshire, 7.2% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, compared with 7.5% in 2001. In East, 7.3% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 7.7% in 2001. Across England, 7.2% of people did not answer, compared with 7.7% in 2001.

The population without a religion in Huntingdonshire increased by 13 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in England, East and Huntingdonshire by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Huntingdonshire

The percentage of Huntingdonshire residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 6.4% to 6.6% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just under 1 in 30 (3.2%) reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities, compared with 2.4% in 2001. The percentage of Huntingdonshire residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 91.2% to 90.3%.

The proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 6.9% in 2001 to 6.8% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 6.8% to 6.5%.

The proportion of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across Eastof England

Percentage of usual residents that reported being slightly limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of privately rented homes increased in Huntingdonshire, but at a slower rate than in Peterborough (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Huntingdonshire).

In Huntingdonshire, the proportion of private renting increased from 9.2% in 2001 to 14.1% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in nearby Peterborough increased from 9.7% to 19.1%.

Across Eastof England, the share of privately rented homes increased from 8.6% to 14.6%.

The rate of social housing in Huntingdonshire remained close to 12.9%, while the rate of home ownership decreased from 75.9% to 71.3%.

Private renting in Huntingdonshire increased by 4.9 percentage points

Percentage of households in Huntingdonshire, Eastof England and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Changing relationships in Huntingdonshire

The percentage of married people fell in Huntingdonshire at a faster rate than in Test Valley (one of the most statistically similar areas to Huntingdonshire based on ONS area classifications).

In Huntingdonshire, the proportion of married people decreased from 58.7% in 2001 to 53.4% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in statistically similar Test Valley decreased from 58.5% to 55.8%.

Across Eastof England, the share of married people decreased from 54.2% to 49.9%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership in Huntingdonshire increased from 24.0% to 28.4%, while the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner increased from 10.6% to 12.0%.

The proportion of married people was higher than across Eastof England

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were married across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Ethnicity in Huntingdonshire

In 2011, 2.5% of Huntingdonshire residents said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, up from from 1.2% in 2001.

Across Eastof England, the percentage of people from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from 2.8% to 5.0%, while across England the percentage went from 5.2% to 8.0%.

Around 94.8% of people in Huntingdonshire said they were from one of the White ethnic groups, compared with 97.2% in 2001. About 1.5% said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), compared with 0.9% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from 0.5% to 1.0%.

The population from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups in Huntingdonshire increased by 1.3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and Huntingdonshire by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

More people living alone

The percentage of one-person households increased in Huntingdonshire, while falling in nearby Peterborough.

In Huntingdonshire, the proportion went up from 24.4% in 2001 to 25.5% in 2011, while across England it fell from 30.1% to 28.7%. During the same period, the regional proportion remained close to 28.4%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple in Huntingdonshire increased from 9.8% to 11.2%, while the percentage of households with a married couple decreased from 45.9% to 40.2%.

The percentage of households with only one person was lower than across Eastof England

Percentage of households that comprised only one person across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in rate of unemployment

The percentage of Huntingdonshire residents that were unemployed increased from 2.0% to 3.2% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just under 6 in 10 (59.3%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 62.0% in 2001. The percentage of Huntingdonshire residents that were self-employed increased from 8.5% to 9.5%.

The proportion of unemployed people increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 2.6% in 2001 to 3.8% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.4% to 4.4%.

The rate of unemployment in Huntingdonshire increased by 1.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Huntingdonshire, Eastof England and England that said they were unemployed, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in work hours

The percentage of employed people in Huntingdonshire working less than 16 hours increased from 1.6% to 2.7% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just over one in nine (11.7%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, compared with 15.1% in 2001.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 1.9% in 2001 to 2.9% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.9% to 3.1%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week in Huntingdonshire increased by 1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Huntingdonshire, Eastof England and England that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care

The percentage of Huntingdonshire residents that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 0.8% to 1.1% in the decade to 2011.

The percentage who reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 1.6%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 0.9% in 2001 to 1.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.1% to 1.4%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care in Huntingdonshire remained close to 1.1%

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and Huntingdonshire by care, March 2001 and March 2011

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